German Names for Girls

An ancient Germanic name that's so clunky and contrarian it's actually cool. One famous Hermelinda was a medieval queen of the Lombards; another was a Belgian saint.

Though neither Herman nor Linda carries any fashion appeal these days, this is an antique baby name that might appeal to those looking for a deeply-rooted and truly unique choice.

Hermelinda

The ancient German name Adelheidis gave rise to both Adelaide and Adelheid. While Adelaide is more popular and better known internationally, Adelheid is still used occasionally in Germany, the Netherlands, and Scandinavia. The German pronunciation is not that different from Adelaide, with a soft h and a long I sound instead of a long A in the last syllable.

Heidi originated as a short form of Adelheid.

Adelheid

Now that the range of names including the modern Emmeline and Amelia -- relatives of each other, but of neither Emily nor Emma -- has become so fashionable, the original root name Amelina is also due up for reconsideration. A lovely, delicate choice, its main disadvantage is that it sounds like a modern elaboration rather than the original name. And perhaps that it will be so often misspelled and mistaken for other forms of itself. But it is a lovely name with deep roots.

Amelina

Christina who decided, at the last minute, she'd rather be Kristen.

Christen

Similar to Ivana but less personality-driven. 

Ivara

On "Sex and the City," Magda was the elderly nanny from the old country -- which is what this name sounds like.  While Magdalene and Magdalena are enjoying fresh life, Magda still feels dated.

Magda

Vala

A multicultural name with a whole variety of meanings, Abelina may appeal as an alternative to Adeline, Abilene, Annabel or Abigail.
 
From its Spanish, German, and Niçard roots, Abelina may be considered a feminine form of the Biblical Abel, lending it the meaning "breath". As such, it is sometimes considered an elaboration of Abelia too, as they share the same source.
 
Alternatively, it may also derive from the German Abela, which is used as a short form of Apollonia ("strength" "destroyer") and Alberta ("noble and bright"), or a separate name, deriving from the Old Saxon aval meaning "strength, force". 
 
As a Dutch name, it is a feminine form of Abe, itself a variation of Adalbert, an old German form of Albert, while as a French choice, it comes from the Aramaic Abba meaning "father", linking it to Abraham. 
 
Additionally, it may be seen as a variation of the Biblical place name, Abilene, giving it the meaning "meadow, grassy area".

Abelina

Alysa is one of several variations of Alice that rose in the US popularity charts starting in the 1960s and continuing in some cases until the first decade of this century. The Alysa form drifted along at the bottom of the Top 1000 girls' names from about 1990 until 2005, when Olympic skating champion Alysa Liu was born.

Liu herself pronounces her first name ah-LISS-ah, rhyming with Melissa, but this spelling might also suggest the pronunciation ah-LEES-ah, rhyming with Lisa. With Greek roots connected to the name Alice (meaning 'noble' or 'truth'), Alysa's sisters and cousins include Alyssa, Alicia, Alisa, and Alissa. 

Names that sound similar but start with E -- Elissa, Elysa, Elise et al -- are usually said to derive from Elizabeth.

Alysa

Spelling variation of Amalia, rising in popularity throughout Europe.

Amalya

Bettina is a dainty ballerina version of Betty, that has not been heard much since its 1950s-60s heyday.  Bettina appeared in the Danielle Steele novel Loving, and in real life as one of Grace Kelly's bridesmaids. 

Bettina

Though she has long stood on her own, Elke has many longer cross-cultural connections, to the Dutch/German/Scandinavian Adelheid and Alice and the English Adelaide, as a feminine version of Elkanah and as a Yiddish form of Eleanor.
 The name became best known in the U.S. via the Berlin-born Elke Sommer,a popular actress and pin-up girl in the 1960s.

Elke

Lotte is a short form of Charlotte and a name used in its own right in Scandinavia as well as Dutch- and German-speaking countries. It’s unlikely to catch on in the US, where even Lottie hasn’t reached its full potential. Unisex Charlie will remain Charlotte’s nickname of choice for the foreseeable future.
 
Lotta is the phonetic spelling, albeit one with more teasing potential.

Lotte

An elaborate diminutive name that had its (quiet) heyday back in the 1920s and 30s, Sydelle is likely derived from Sarah (via Sadie), Siegfriede (meaning "victorious peace"), or Sydney ("St Denis"). Alternative theories are it was inspired by the surnames Sidell ("wide recess; wide valley") and Seidel (either from Siegfried or a German word meaning "tankard"). 
 
Also spelled as Sydell, Sydelle peaked in 1930 when it was given to 46 girls, though it appeared in the charts as recently as 2023, when 10 girls were given the name. Actress Sydelle Noel is a notable bearer.

Sydelle

Amory is best known for the hero of Fitzgerald's 1920 This Side of Paradise, Princeton student Amory Blaine. Amory is in some danger of being borrowed by the girls, a la Avery. Alternate spellings Amori or Amorie also relate to the Latin word for love.

Amory

Analiese is the rarest form of this increasingly popular German smoosh name, at least in the US. Only 26 baby girls were named Analiese in one recent years, versus about 75 called Annaliese, 100 named Analiese, and 750 given the popular Annalise spelling.
 
The Liese part of the name is the German form of Lisa, a short form of Elizabeth.

Analiese

Many popular Dutch short forms are drawn from the middle or end of their proper name: Sanne from Susanne, Bas from Sebastian. Jette could be from a name like Henriette or Mariette.

Jette

A surname-style choice, in a similar style to Miller and Palmer, Meyer also has the sounds of Maia, Myla, and Myra. Derived from German (in which case it means "tenant, farmer, bailiff" or "leader of the household") and from Dutch (via Latin, meaning "great"), it is also a variation on the Hebrew Meir, meaning "enlightened" or "shining".
 
Familiar for boys in the early 20th century, it has been seeing a quiet revival in recent years. Given to around 100 boys in the US in the latest count, it has been appearing as a rare girl name since 2012.

Meyer

Susanne is a feminine name representing a French and German variation of Susan, ultimately derived from the Hebrew name Shoshana meaning 'lily' or 'rose.' With its elegant double 'n' and silent 'e' ending, Susanne offers a sophisticated European flair compared to the more straightforward Susan or Suzanne. The name enjoyed modest popularity throughout the mid-20th century, particularly in Germanic and Scandinavian countries. Susanne carries the same gentle, timeless quality as other forms of the name while providing a distinctive spelling. The name has musical associations through Leonard Cohen's famous song 'Suzanne,' which has sometimes been rendered as 'Susanne' in translations. With its balanced two-syllable structure and soft consonants, Susanne presents an option that feels both classic and refined, appealing to parents seeking a name with cross-cultural appeal and enduring elegance.

Susanne

Ulla, the beautiful Swedish secretary in The Producers (played by Uma Thurman in the movie) who purrs, "Ven you got it, flaunt it," has changed the image of this name forever. Ulla may stand on its own or be an abbreviation of Ursula or Ulrika; Ula may be seen as another spelling.

Ulla

German girl names include such classics as Alice and Emma along with many girl names that rank among the most fashionable today, both in Germany and the English-speaking world.

 in the US Top 1000 today include Adele, Amelia, Annalise, Ella, Elsa, Emmeline, Millie, and Zelda. In Germany, 

 with modern style include Anja, Frieda, Ida, Maude, Romy, and Tilly.

 include both those popular throughout Europe and North America, such as Emma, Mia, and Sophia, along with girl names particular to Germany, such as Lotta, Leni, and Nele, a German short form of Cornelia.

In Germanophone Switzerland, Emma and Emilia are the most popular German names for girls.

The roster of top German girl names includes German variations of many familiar names, often with a spelling twist. Emilia ranks among Germany’s top names rather than Amelia, Klara takes the place of Clara, Emilie stands in for Emily, Sofie and Lilly are used instead of the usual English versions Sophie and Lily.

You can browse the complete roster of German girl names on Nameberry here, ordered by their popularity on Nameberry. 

German names for girls with meanings and popularity (Page 8)

German Girl Names